Which drivers are the best bet to pick that will give you a lead in your NASCAR fantasy league(s) after the Daytona 500?
The 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is here and that means it’s time to play another fun-filled season of NASCAR fantasy. No matter how you did in 2015, the slate is wiped clean. Learn from last year’s mistakes and do better in 2016, or use those successes from 2015 to another year of beating your friends on the scoreboard.
Advice will be given based on following Yahoo!’s NASCAR fantasy rules. Those looking for a league can click here as well as read up on their rules. Essentially, each week competitors get to choose four drivers and earn points based on how their selections do. Some drivers do well on speedways, like Daytona, while others are better off at the shorter racetracks.
Drivers listed below have a good shot at finding success at the first race of the year. However, there’s always a chance someone gets knocked out of the race due to mechanical options or is involved in a crash, or a wild card finds their way into the top-10. Below are picks destined for success at Daytona and one pick whose success on Sunday could shock many.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
It’s been fifteen years since his father tragically died at Daytona. On Thursday on the exact anniversary, he won of the first Can-Am Duel and solidified his spot on row two for the Daytona 500. He’s been heating up all week and is a sure pick to find success after the big race ends on Sunday. He’s a 5/1 favorite to come away victorious when the checkered flag flies.
Joey Logano
He won last year’s race and seemed posed to repeat as a 10/1 favorite for Sunday’s race. All week his race car looks to be doing well and there hasn’t been any major issues with the car or between him and the crew. If he doesn’t win, Logano should finish in the top-five or top-10.
Jimmie Johnson
Johnson is one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history. On Sunday he will need a lot to go right as he starts at the back of the field due to his involvement in a crash during the second Can-Am Duel. He’s a very skilled driver and his experience driving at the speedway style track should help him slowly but surely move through the field.
With it being a 200 lap race over 500 miles, Johnson will have ample time to make moves through open spaces. He may not win from the back, but there’s a good chance he can find himself into the top half of the 40-car field.
Danica Patrick
She hasn’t driven in as many Daytona 500 races as many of the other drivers. However, she’s driven in many high-caliber races like the Indianapolis 500 and is a veteran when it comes to racing. Patrick fared well in her Can-Am Duel appearance and appeared to find a good feel for the race track. As a result, she our wild card pick to have a good Daytona 500 performance and come away with at least a top-10 finish.